Mystery/Adventure (1951 - 52)
Cast:
Humphrey Bogart as Slate Shannon
Lauren Bacall as Sailor Duval
There have been other Hollywood "Power Couples", but very few held as much sway as Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
The first time the duo worked together was in Howard Hawk's film, To Have and To Have Not. Loosely based on the Hemingway novel, it is the story of an American drifter living in the Caribbean, not one to look for trouble but the sort that trouble often finds, who becomes involved in intrigue as well as a sultry young woman who seems so wrong be ends up so right for him.
Bogey and Bacall had a scandalous May- December romance that began during the film, still it blossomed into one of Hollywood's strongest marriages. Along with their movie projects, they came up with the radio treasure, Bold Venture. It was a formula that had worked very well for other movie couples, like Ronald and Benita Colman in Halls of Ivy.
The characters and situations of Bold Venture were similar to ones which had worked in Bogart films before, especially "To Have and Have Not." Slade Shannon is an amalgam of Bogey characters, owner of a small hotel a la Rick in Casablanca, and a charter boat operator in the Caribbean a la To Have and Have Not and Key Largo. Playing Sailor Duvall on the radio, Lauren Bacall is just as sultry and alluring as she was on screen.
Legend has it that the Bogart's used the proceeds from Bold Venture to fill their son Stephen's trust fund. Whatever their reason for the production, it is great radio adventure.
Pour another finger of rum into your Cuba Libre', sit under the slowly turning ceiling fan, and look out to sea while we wait for Bogey's boat, the Bold Venture.
See also Bogart
Collection and Hardboiled Detectives.
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